Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1887-08-26


not take place sooner, before vast
tracts Of the public domain had been
squandered.
There is no question, no matter of
what nature, of SO great importance
in financial point of view to the
American farmers as the tariff. With
out doubt the farmers of the north
west are annually robbed of an amount
far greater than the loss sustained by
the great drouth of either one of the
last two seasons, if not of both com
bincd Yet how little attention is
comparison to what they give other
matters affecting their material proS-
pcrity! Even if it is Il political ques-
ton it should not be kept in the back
ground. OF course the evils resulting
from excessive tariff taxation are not
SO plainly manifest as the evils result
ing from the drouth, the chinch bugs
and other pests. If they were the
question would need no discussion,
and the spoliation system would be
doomed in America. But their exiS-
toncc must be plainly visible to all
who will fairly study the tariff laws of
tn" country. The SO called agricultu-
raj journals are greatly to blame in
this matter. While they, one and all,
cndeayor to hunt out and discuss in
detail innumcrablc subjects which may
or may not be of interest to the far
mcrs, it seems to be their common pol
icy to lay low and say as little us pos
sible in regard to the tariff Because
this is Il political question they are
afraid of running against the partisan
preferences and prciudices of their
readers. They are afraid to work in
the field where they can be of the
greatest benefit to American agricul-
turists. One notable exception to this
rule, however, is The Farmer, publish
ed at st. Paul, Mimi. This paper dis
cusseS the question fearlessly and with
ont party bias. The following article
on " imports and Duties is from The
Farmer and contains information that
should be widely circulated
The total of our imports for the
fiscal year ending June 10th, 1887, was
5000, 253, $50, an increase over the
previous year Of nearly sixty million
dollars. On Si5S, OS4,333 worth of
these imports duty was paid averaging
Ia per cent This informotion in
paragraph form is now going the
rounds of the press, but very few peo-
Pile realize what this statement actually
means. If it should be suggested that
a tax of nearly 50 per cent should he
assessed on any other class of property,
the proposal would be repudiated by
the American people as that of Il luna
tic. \ ct direct tax on any class of
property would probably end there and
the total amount of it would go into
the public treasury, and we would
know Just how much we were paving.
In the case OF import duties, ii must
not be forgotten that the duties act.
ually paid into the treasury are only Il
part, and small part, of the tax act.
ually levied on the people of the
United States by the collection OF
these duties. The protectionist de.
tends these taxes on the ground that
they make imported goods So dear that
manufacturers in this country can
charge an additional price for THEN
manufactures For instance. if i'm
ported WOODEN goods pay duty of 81
per cent, makers of wooden goods in
this country will be able to charge
nearly as much for their goods as the
imported goods would cost plus the
duty, and still undersell the foreign
manufacturer. Consequently tax of
III per cent. on imported goods
means that 4 percentage almost equal
TO that has been added to the cost of
MI similar articles manufactured in
this country, and amounting to two
or three times as much 1T least as the
amount of the duty paid into the
treasury. When it is proposed, and by
the majority of people admitted, that
the annual surplus in the national
revenue must be reduced, the protec-
zionist suggests, with Mr.. Samuel
Randall, that the taxes be taken on
tobacco and whisky. and SO gives rise
To the somewhat witty reioinder OF
the Louisville Courier Journal that the
question of reducing the surplus rev,
enue has come to be one of free side
board against free wardrobe. This
year, during which there will be som,
respite from elections and the political
excitement and partisan feeling which
invariably accompany them, is gooC
one for our farmers, who form one
half of our producing and tax paying
population, TO think over and discus.
this problem which costs the countr,
in duties to the government and en-
HANGED prices on home manufacture:
about 1000 million dollars yearly 4
its next session Congress must TAX
action on this momentous question o
reducing taxes and ceaSing TO pile VI
money in the treasury.-w which doe
not grow there, As some people think
but is taken out of the pockets of tn
people. 1t would be well that eacl
man of us should be ready to tell hi:
representative in congress whether h,
is to vote for a free sideboard or FIRE,
wardrobe.